


Pillow Talk

by Legaloco



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/F, because honestly. they could be a more interesting character., bed sharing, corrin is very confused about her feelings towards others, of c o u r s e, revelations timeline, this ended up being more of a "corrin could be a more interesting character" fic than anything else, two girls sleeping in the same bed because they're gay and also because one has problems sleeping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 08:40:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13760379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Legaloco/pseuds/Legaloco
Summary: Corrin admits to problems plaguing her dreams, and asks Rinkah’s help on it. Rinkah decides to help the best way she can: attacking the problem head-on.





	Pillow Talk

It’s a quiet evening in the astral plane. The night is still, all but a small room far up in the lone treehouse. Inside, two women attempt to come closer.

Corrin isn’t sure what has gotten into her. She and the warrior before her have been friends for only a while, yet she’s trying her damndest to get closer. Though even at this point, she’s not certain that _friend_ is the best word for their relationship. Acquaintance? Ally? No, those feel too forced, too unfamiliar. _Companion_ , maybe? Yes, that could work. A companion is familiar enough, but not _too_ close. She knows that Rinkah prefers solitude above everything else, so _friend_ wouldn’t work. Companion is good. Someone that she can talk to at any time, though doesn’t _have to_. Someone who she can give space to and still keep a consistent relationship with.

(Though, is the warmth that she constantly feels building in her stomach around the other the same type that she felt around other _companions_?)

Corrin is brought back out of her thoughts when her guest lets out a hearty laugh, startling her. Had she said a joke? Did Corrin reply in her distracted state, not thinking of what she was saying?

Rinkah’s laughs are hearty. She laughs from her stomach, and her whole body reacts as she does so. Corrin likes seeing her laugh. But at this moment, there’s more of a concern in how Rinkah slowly calms down and focuses her eyes on Corrin, a thoughtful look on her face.

“You seem out of it,” Rinkah says, leaning in over the small table. She places a warm, _no, hot_ , hand against her forehead before pulling it back, leaving Corrin with a lingering impression of her heat. “Though you don’t seem to be sick. What’s wrong?” Rinkah’s bright eyes stare through her.

“O-oh, nothing! I get a bit lost in thought, is all, sorry. What were you saying?” Corrin brings the small teacup to her lips to mask her blush (even if the cup was not already empty, the tea she was drinking would have been long cold by now).

Rinkah pauses to look at the princess, as if she _knows_ the thoughts flying through her head, before recounting her tale from the beginning. This time, Corrin is paying attention, to everything Rinkah says, to the way her eyes brighten when she got to interesting parts, to the smiles that grace her features a few times, to her warm aura that leaves Corrin feeling as if she would melt.

(This attentiveness to her _companion_ will be the end of her.)

As if only now taking notice of the time, Rinkah says something about having to leave, she has to get up early, she was glad ( _glad!_ ) to talk with Corrin on a more friendly basis. Corrin feels her heart tug painfully. Why was that? Their conversations often ended in the middle of the night, almost always by Rinkah’s choice. They’d say pleasantries, promise to talk again, and Rinkah would then leave. And then, Corrin was always left to her thoughts, to her lonely room. To the nightly hours that she constantly dreaded.

Corrin is not fond of those times.

“Can’t you… stay for the night?”

Oh.

_Oh_.

Did she say that aloud? And is she standing up, holding onto Rinkah’s hand (she knew she was! Nothing could ever be so warm!) tightly, stopping her from moving? When did that happen?

“What?” Rinkah looks up at her in confusion, as if she didn’t hear the words that made Corrin want to be swallowed up by a sinkhole. Is her face flushed a bright red, going to the tips of her pointed ears? Could Rinkah tell what she meant? Can she tell that Corrin is trying her best to not make eye contact, her eyes darting wildly around her room, focusing on little things like the chest in the corner, the masks on the wall, the book set, _Rinkah_ , and finally letting her eyes settle at the floor between them?

It’s a nice floor, cool wood that meets Corrin’s bare feet.

“I-I, uhm… Oh gods, I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking? I mean, I, I tend to have troubles sleeping and I think having someone here with me would help? I don’t mean to impose, I just spoke and acted without thinking, and now I’m still doing that, and, and, and -” She loses her thoughts. She often does, though this time she curses herself for her ineptitude. She wants to clearly articulate her intentions, let Rinkah know _exactly_ what she means, and get a clear answer. Or better yet, she wants to take back all she said and let Rinkah leave, as if what had just happened did not.

Rinkah doesn’t get it. Corrin can see it in her expression, she _knows_ that what she said makes no sense, but she had a glimmer of hope that it would.

Rinkah keeps quiet for an unbearably long time, in Corrin’s opinion, before finally asking, “So you… Have troubles sleeping? Wouldn’t- Wouldn’t someone that you’re closer to be a better bet to help you?”

Corrin feels her heart sink. “I- I considered that, but, I’ve never asked them? It’s just, I- I wanted to be closer to you? Wait, I mean, gods, I’m sorry-”

“I’ll stay _for tonight_ ,” Rinkah interrupts, catching Corrin’s attention once again. The main thing she notices is that _Rinkah_ is _blushing,_ that her voice is smaller than normal. “But don’t expect this to be a regular thing. You need your rest, after all, and if what you’re saying is true, it explains how out of it you are half the time. I’ll, uh-” She looks around the room, but fails to take notice of anything to rest on other than the queen-sized single bed pushed to the side. “I guess I’ll sit there.”

“Uh, right.”

The two attempt to lie down, Corrin taking her usual place facing the wall. She quickly pulls the cover over herself, a deep flush covering her entire face. Rinkah sits on the edge of the bed, causing a small dip of weight. There isn’t much to look at in the room, especially since the lights are out, but there _is_ a small candle that’s still going.

“So, uh. Do you want to talk about anything? Or should I just sit here?” Rinkah says, uncertain of whether this was the best time.

“Yeah, uh. Hmm.” Corrin goes quiet for quite a long time. So long, in fact, that Rinkah assumes that she’s asleep. She looks around the now dark room, thinking, when suddenly-

“Are you certain that you’d rather die than be captured again?”

“What?” Rinkah startles. She didn’t expect Corrin to be so _awake_ , let alone being so _forwards_ with a question like that.

“I remembered when we talked that one time. When we were only even kind of properly getting to know one another? You- you talked about how you would have rather died that day, but, but we never talked about it again…” She trails off, leaving Rinkah more _confused_ than anything.

“That’s what you want to talk about?”

“It’s- it’s the sort of thing I think about sometimes.” Corrin goes quiet again.

“Hmm.” Corrin waits for the rest of Rinkah’s response. There is none. Suddenly, Corrin feels the weight on the bed shift next to her, as Rinkah lies down. There’s space between them, of course, and Rinkah is only lying atop the covers, but Corrin feels like her damned heart is creating _earthquakes_ that would be impossible _not_ to feel. She can feel her _companion_ ’s warmth seeping through the covers, and at this point, she really _does_ feel like her entire being will melt.

“Thank you, for, y’know. Doing this.” Corrin turns slightly to see Rinkah’s outline in the dark. With the dim light of the fire behind her, she can tell that Rinkah’s got her arm draped over her eyes, that she’s breathing softly, that her _lips_ are parted slightly, that she seems to be just. Resting. Corrin likes to see her all calm. It’s not like she gets to see her often, let alone so still (though honestly, the single light in the room makes it difficult to see. And honestly, in this situation, she would rather be by herself again and not trying to take back her actions).

“I’d rather you not head into battle sleep-deprived.” Rinkah is suddenly turning over, facing towards Corrin. The light behind her illuminates only parts of her hair and skin, leaving the rest of her like a shadow to Corrin. Their eyes make contact for just a second before the princess quickly turns back towards the wall, her heart _slamming_ in her chest.

“G-good night.” She suddenly mutters, her hand clenching at the fabric of her nightgown. Why does something like this affect her so much? Of course it’s unwarranted, something that Corrin brought upon herself. She played herself. But gods, she’s _happy_ about this?

“...Night.” Rinkah decides not to push it. She understands that this sort of thing takes time, even if it _is_ frustrating.

Why is it frustrating?

Rinkah is startled by this thought. Why _would_ she be frustrated by something like this? Was it just… Corrin’s question?

_Are you certain you’d rather die than be captured again?_

What kind of question is that?

Rinkah shifts her focus to the room’s single light source, a small lit candle. She likes fires. They’re comforting, warm. Sitting by one always makes her feel comfortable, safe. It helps her think, helps her connect to her thoughts.

Corrin finds a haze of sleep falling upon her, and she lets it happen. It’s the best to find rest when she can. Through her slowly muddling senses, she feels another shift on the bed, and her companion’s warmth press just a _bit_ closer to her.

Then, she falls asleep.

* * *

 

“Milady, it’s morning. Wake up, please.” With soft morning-light filling her room and a cold hand on her shoulder, Corrin is all too aware that it’s morning. Stifling a yawn, she rises from her bed.

“Good morning, Flora.” She says absent-mindedly, wiping the sleepiness from her eyes.

“Good morning, milady. Jakob and Felicia are both currently getting your tea ready, and Leo said that he’d like to talk strategy with you at your earliest convenience. Also,” Corrin looks up to see her retainer smiling softly. “Lady Rinkah was right outside the door when I came to wake you up.”

“Oh!” Corrin’s heart starts thumping wildly as she remembers the previous night. Embarrassment and pure _dread_ fill her thoughts. Then that means Rinkah left in the morning? Well, of course she did, or else Flora wouldn’t be- oh _gods_ , did she _tell_ anyone?

“Yes, yes. She seemed a bit disheveled, and when I asked her why she was here so early…” Flora’s eyes glint with a sort of humor, “She said that she was just… hoping to see if you’d like to train with her. It’s curious though, she rarely ever visits this early. And she seemed so flustered, too!”

“Y-yeah, weird,” Corrin says, avoiding eye contact. If she wishes hard enough, perhaps the floor would open and swallow her up? Then she wouldn’t have to deal with this _mortifying_ situation that she’s found herself in.

“Well, I’ll leave you be, now,” Flora says, doing a small bow before leaving the room. Corrin bids her goodbye, then slumps down on the edge of the bed, left with an ever-growing feeling of embarrassment.

Corrin finds herself unable to pay attention to much that day. Her thoughts constantly drift back to the deeply tanned warrior, how she looks when she’s laughing, smiling brightly, serious, thoughtful.

(After a particularly frustrating strategy meeting, Corrin has to apologize to an agitated Leo. Having seen Rinkah pass by the room they were working in, she nearly tipped the ink bottle they were using to map possible formations over. After that, Leo decided that their meeting was over.)

A full day flies by, and Corrin finds herself at home once again. This time, she decided not to invite her _companion_ over, hoping to prevent something like the previous night happening again.

And she does the same the next night.

And the next night.

And it goes on for _days_ , nearly _two weeks_. Of course, she can’t avoid her forever. When they make eye contact across rooms, Corrin smiles briefly and then leaves the way she came. When they happen to be paired up for training in the mornings, Corrin makes use of one of the strategies that Leo taught her: avoid at all costs

But one chilly night, back up in the treehouse, Corrin can’t avoid.

A sharp rapping on the door brings Corrin out of her moment of focus. She closes the novel she had been reading (a young woman in a nearby town had suggested “Wyvern Wars: Terror at High Noon,” and Corrin really couldn’t refuse!) and goes to open the door.

The night sky is beautiful. But honestly, Corrin couldn’t care less about that because at the moment, the shorter figure who obscures some of her view of said night sky is catching all of her attention.

“A-ah, good evening, Rinkah,” Corrin says, heart moving at a mile a minute. “I- uh, I didn’t expect you!”

“Heh, I wouldn’t think that you did. You haven’t invited me in a while! Can I?” Corrin is dumbfounded. She came to visit! But _gods_ , why? Why isn’t Rinkah as insistent on _avoiding_ the problem as Corrin is? She then realizes that she’s still standing in the doorway, that she didn’t even answer.

“U-uh, yes! Of course!” She quickly moves out of the way, letting Rinkah into the room. They both settle at the small tea table in the room, quiet. Corrin nervously taps a random rhythm on the table, eyes darting about the room. When she makes eye contact with Rinkah, she quickly looks away.

“Listen,” Rinkah begins, voice softer than usual. That catches Corrin’s attention. “I get that talking to me might be something that you wouldn’t want to do after, uh. That night.” Rinkah flushes. “And I get that you probably don’t want to talk to me in _general_ , but-” Rinkah trails off, as if finding the right words to say to say. She then throws her hands up. “You- you don’t have to avoid me! You’re my _ally_ , and while I know that I’m not the best to help in these sorts of things, at least it’s _some_ help.”

“I-” Corrin meets eyes with Rinkah once, then looks away, biting her lip. “I didn’t want to- to- to _bother_ , and I know that you prefer solitude, probably moreso over being around _me._ ” She raises her gaze to meet with Rinkah’s again, seeing her bright eyes burning through her.

At this point, Corrin wishes that she could stop talking forever. Maybe then, she wouldn’t have ended up creating this problem for herself. Or better yet, maybe then she wouldn’t have created this _infuriating_ delusion of a friendship between the two of them.

But at this point, there’s little to lose, right? If she can’t stop speaking, maybe she can talk more, and at least understand.

“I, I want to be your _friend_ .” Corrin then says. Not ally, friendly acquaintance, or even _companion._ Just friend. “But I feel like at every turn, I do something wrong! And even if you haven’t said anything, that’s what I keep thinking about.”

She takes a deep breath. There’s no going back now.

“And, and- I really find it hard to sleep some nights- not because of what I was just talking about though. I’m- I _want_ to find an easy way out, to end this stupid war and let all of you get on with your lives, but- but-” She loses the thought for a moment. “I keep. Thinking about any of you getting harmed. And it _scares_ me. I appreciate all of your help, but I don’t want to be the cause for any of you dying. I want to be the leader to take you all to victory!” She throws her arms out, accentuating her point, and then laughs half-heartedly, feeling tears prick at the corners of her eyes. “And yet here I am, barely even able to get a wink of rest, possibly putting off someone that I want to be around more.” Another laugh escapes her lips. “I’m a mess.”

Rinkah is silent for a while. Corrin looks at her expectantly, watching as she sits back in her chair, opens her mouth to speak, then closes it again.

Then, “Well, you _are_ a mess, yeah. But,” She’s suddenly leaning in, her hands reaching for Corrin’s, being a lot more _gentle_ than what Corrin is used to. She likes the calloused fingers that brush her knuckles. “You’re trying, yeah? And if there’s one thing I know, it’s that _you_ can confront anything, even your fears.” Corrin giggles.

“I appreciate the sentiment and the confidence, Rinkah, but even if I can _confront_ them, I don’t think I could defeat them in the same sense you’re talking about.” She pulls her hand from Rinkah’s, wiping the tears from her eyes (and hopefully the blush that dusts her features).

“Probably not. I can try to help though.” The small voice that Rinkah had the night before is back. Corrin’s eyes widen.

“You mean-”

“I can stay again, if you need me.”

“Ah!” Corrin’s hands move to cover her mouth, a rather goofy smile playing on her lips. She’s _happy_!

“Hey, are you okay?” Rinkah looks Corrin over with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“N-no, no, nothing’s wrong!” She responds, finding embarrassment envelop her again. “It’s alright,” she adds on, “I’m just, uh, glad! That you’re willing to talk to me, that is.”

“Sure.”

“Yeah.”

Silence. They hold it for a bit, unsure of what to do next.

“Well,” Rinkah says, “How we talk about our day. Days. Hm. It _has_ been a while since we’ve talked, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Corrin responds again, feeling relieved.

Rinkah smiles. “Yeah,” she says, imitating Corrin’s tone.

For the rest of the night, they don’t sort out all of their problems, of course, but they do do something that they weren’t able to before.

They get close.

And for now, that’s more than enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi I'm emotional about Corrin/Rinkah. Also, I find it kind of funny that Corrin, a person who's encountered many a traumas, doesn't have any sleeping problems. Mostly based off of headcannons and a bit more delving into their supports.


End file.
